MANIC COAL PORTERS

MANIC STREET PREACHERS are to play a low-key hometown show in CARDIFF on March 8, which will be broadcast live on RADIO 1.

Bassist Nicky Wire made the announcement on Steve Lamacq’s Evening Session tonight (February 7), saying the band will play the Cardiff Coal Exchange to a limited number of fans.

Tickets go on sale on Friday (February 9) at 8am and will only be available to personal callers at the City Centre Ticket Line, West Gate Street, Cardiff. Strictly limited to two per person, they are priced #12.50 plus #1 booking fee for cash, #1.50 for cheque or credit card.

Tickets will also be available to competition winners on Radio 1. But fans who cannot get to the gig will be able to watch it webcast the following day (March 9) on the Manics official website, www.manics.co.uk.

The band have also announced that they are to play at the Dublin Heineken Green Festival on May 4.

The band confirmed this evening they will play at the newly opened Smithfield Plaza in the city as part of the festival, which will also see bands playing in other music venues throughout the city, including Dublin Castle, the Olympia Theatre and Temple Bar Music Centre.

Tickets for the event go on sale this coming Saturday (February 10), and will be available via the website [url=]www.mcd.ie.

In addition, the band have also confirmed the support bands for their sold out UK tour. At their Manchester Apollo shows (March 27-28) they will be supported by Elbow, at London Brixton Academy (30-31) My Vitriol will support, and at Glasgow Barrowlands (April 2-3) it is the hotly -tipped Starsailor.

Finally, the band are confirmed to take part in a webchat with fans following their appearance on the BBC music show ‘Top Of The Pops’ at 8pm this Friday (February 9). To register a question, fans can log onto www.bbc.co.uk/livechat on Friday.

The band release two singles in one day, ‘So Why So Sad’ and ‘Found That Soul, on March 5 via Epic. Their new album, ‘Know Your Enemy’ follows on March 19.